1. Is this lab a good fit for me?
I am looking for enthusiastic graduate students with a dedicated interest in Health Psychology. Successful applicants usually
- have strong data analysis and scientific writing skills
- have past research experience in a psychology or health-related lab
- have strong letters of recommendations from past professors and research advisors who can speak about your past experience, performance, and abilities
- are interested in pursuing a research-focused academic career. Although trainees from my lab have ended up pursuing various careers, a close fit between your academic interests and my lab’s research is essential for a productive and successful experience in graduate school.
2. What can I expect as a graduate student?
(L-R) Yeeun, Gu, Charlotte, Bita, and Marlise (with Christine and Alec on Zoom!) celebrate Frances’s tenure.
Graduate students are responsible for the logistics of designing, conducting, and publishing their own research projects. Graduate students are also closely involved in the training of undergraduate research assistants, grant writing, and presentation of research at departmental meetings as well as national and international conferences. I meet regularly with each of my graduate students to discuss their new ideas and progress on research projects and career goals. You can learn more about my advising style and mentorship philosophy here.
3. What should I know before I apply?
Important links include:
- Details on how to apply (and Graduate Student Handbook)
- UBC Psychology MA and PhD requirements
- Specific information about the Health area in our department
Applying for external funding can substantially boost the competitiveness of your application to graduate school. Eligible students are strongly encouraged to apply for Canada Graduate Scholarships. Details can be found here.
All applicants will receive full and careful consideration from me regardless of whether they submit GRE scores. If you choose to submit GRE scores, I will consider them as part of my holistic assessment of your application. Especially if you feel that the other aspects of your application do not provide a complete or accurate picture of your capabilities, you should consider taking the GRE. For example, if you received grades in a statistics class that you feel do not reflect your underlying abilities, an alternative way to demonstrate your capabilities would be through a strong score on the quantitative section of the GRE.
Typically, I conduct a round of phone interviews shortly after the department’s application deadline, after which a small number of candidates will be invited for in-person interviews. To keep the review process fair, I do not offer individual meetings with applicants before reviewing their full applications.
I strive for a lab that reflects the larger community that we serve. I believe that diverse representation in gender, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, age, physical capabilities, and perspectives, makes our lab and department stronger. I am committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all members of the lab. If you have a background or identity that is traditionally underrepresented in psychology or academia more broadly, I invite you to note in your application how this identity or background has shaped your experiences and adds strength to the perspectives that you will bring to graduate school.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Celebrating Yeeun’s successful PhD defence.